From DXF export to slab count: how it works

Getting from a countertop DXF export to a bid-ready slab count takes three inputs — one DXF per unit type, a quantity for each, and your slab size, kerf, and edge-offset settings — and StoneNest turns those into a nested layout, an independently validated slab count and yield percentage, and an AlphaCAM-ready DXF, typically in 3–5 seconds for 1,200+ pieces. No re-drawing: it's the same DXF your ERP or CAD already exports.

The four-step path

  1. Export the DXF you already have. One file per unit type, from whatever ERP or CAD package your shop uses — no separate re-drawing step.
  2. Load unit types and set quantities. Up to 18 unit types on a licensed seat; each type gets its own quantity for the job.
  3. Set slab size, kerf, edge offset, and rotation policy. These are the real cutting constraints — StoneNest ships with a 0.133″ default kerf taken from an actual shop saw setting, and every field is editable.
  4. Nest, validate, and export. The nest runs, an independent validator checks for overlaps, off-slab placement, and kerf violations, and only a layout that passes is allowed to export as an AlphaCAM-ready DXF.
132 slabsRidgeline Flats demo: 108 units, 3 unit types
81.6% yieldsame nest, 0.133″ kerf
≤6-slab batcheshow the shop that built this actually cuts
StoneNest nested layout ready for AlphaCAM-ready DXF export
Screenshot placeholder screenshots/guide-dxf-workflow.png Drop the real capture in at this path — the page picks it up automatically.

The validated, nested layout immediately before AlphaCAM-ready DXF export.

What the validator actually checks

StoneNest refuses to export a layout that fails validation. That check runs against every placed piece for overlaps, placement outside the slab boundary, and kerf clearance violations — before a DXF is ever produced, not after. On the 108-unit, 3-unit-type Ridgeline Flats demo job, the validated nest returned 132 slabs at 81.6% yield with 0 overlaps flagged in the final layout.

Owner-operator note: the validator gate exists because the shop that built StoneNest needed layouts it could send to the saw without manually re-checking every placement by hand first — the check runs the same way on every machine, every time.

Where this fits with the rest of your workflow

StoneNest is built for the step before photo-matched slab layout, not as a replacement for it: a fast, conservative slab count and AlphaCAM-ready DXF you can put in a bid before committing the time to a full photo-layout. See how this applies at job scale in the multifamily estimating guide, or jump straight to trying it on your own numbers.

FAQ

Do I need to redraw anything to use StoneNest?

No. StoneNest reads the DXF your ERP or CAD already exports, one file per unit type — there's no separate re-drawing step before nesting.

What happens if my DXF has open outlines or extra geometry?

Clean, closed outlines nest most reliably. Malformed geometry is flagged rather than silently guessed at, so you know what to fix in the source file before re-exporting.

What comes out at the end?

A slab count, a yield percentage, a layout preview, and — once the layout clears the independent validator — an AlphaCAM-ready DXF export for the saw.

Does my DXF ever leave my PC?

No. StoneNest runs fully offline; there's no upload step. The free web estimator at /try/ also runs client-side in your browser — what you enter is used only to compute your result.

See what your own job nests to

Try the free web estimator with your own unit counts, or start the 7-day free trial for full DXF import, export, and the validator gate.

Try it now → See pricing